The Art Of Learning A Second Language

It is always a good idea to learn another or second language. Career wise, it could help you and with learning a new language, you can maybe get a career as a translator, teacher or anything where a second language will come in handy. Language study can be done online which is a great way of learning, especially when you are working full time.

The Five Stages Of Learning A Second Language

The ability to complete the stages of learning a second language is something that would take approximately three years to complete. But, there is more to it than just learning the language. Doing something of this magnitude, you should possess that passion to do it and most importantly, you must follow through on the full three years of the course. There is nothing worse than having started a project, but not completing it. The process of learning a second language are divided into five different stages.

Stage 1

The first stage is called the preproduction stage; this is mainly the stage where you are more exposed to the language. This is just to get a feel for the language by being silent and focusing on the comprehension. If you are learning the English language, you should not get overwhelmed at all; reiteration is something that you should become accustomed to. When I started learning Italian I “exposed” myself to it by playing over my outdoor speaker while working outside, this way I got used to the language without understanding any of it yet.

Stage 2

The second stage of this learning process is known as the early production phase, this relatively takes up to three or six months, depending on the ability of the learner. This stage is based more on comprehension and you are now able to answer yes/no questions and be able to two or three word phases. This is the stage where you are able to pick up formulas and in the end be able to break them apart.

Stage 3

The third stage is known as the speech emergence phase where your goal would be description. You are now able to compare and continue with dialogues. The physical response that you are able to portray would be role-playing and you will be more active in group projects. With the English students, this process is helpful, as they are able to write things that interest them and basically take it at their own pace from here forward.

Stage 4

The forth phase of this learning process is the Fluency phase. At this stage you should find yourself with comprehension that is considered improved. You would have the confidence to have a face-to-face conversation and would be able to rename things – like building names, street names etc. At this stage, you are able to give opinions as well. This is the stage at which you are able to question work that you have done to date and also be able to understand concepts that are more difficult.

Stage 5

The fifth stage is the fluency stage. It takes some students more or less four to six years in order to accomplish a second language proficiency. A second language is something that you should “practice” and learn everyday. It is not something that you just learn, and keep aside. Fluency is the most important aspect and you should make sure that you reach your ultimate goal with this stage.

To learn a second language takes time and patience. Think about your home language. How long did it take you to fluently speak your language? With both, fluency is the ultimate goal as well as understanding the culture surrounding it.